


Notice Me...

by Ang3l_0f_th3_l0rd



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Abuse, Anger, Bullying, Drinking, Family, Firsts, Fluff, Heartbreak, High School, Holidays, Hospitalisation, Injury, Love, M/M, Maybe a happy ending, Pain, Realisation, Self Harm, Smoking, Teen Angst, Travel, Violence, relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-04
Updated: 2018-08-22
Packaged: 2019-03-13 18:59:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13576932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ang3l_0f_th3_l0rd/pseuds/Ang3l_0f_th3_l0rd
Summary: Castiel Novak has never stayed in one place for very long. Due to his parents jobs abroad, he is forced to move around a lot, and he's never had a place to call home. But when he moves to a small town in Kansas, he finally finds himself thrust into the perfect life he only ever see's in movies. He makes true friends for the first time, and he vows that he'd never leave. When his parents return they tell him that they're moving again. This time he refuses. He tells them that he's staying, because of his friends. But really, he knows it's because he fell in love with the boy who beat him senseless...





	1. Green meets Blue...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel Novak moves into his new house. Filled with anxiety about his first day at his new school, he sneaks out late at night to wander the streets and clear his mind. Little did he know he'd run into a green eyed masterpiece...

 

_Castiel lies on the ground holding his battered and bruised ribs, almost certain that this time Dean has left some permanent damage. As he tries to sit up, he feels a surge of pain race towards his head forcing him to return to his uncomfortable position on the chipped tiled floor. White spots float across his field of vision, as he struggles to remember how to breath. Pressure builds within his chest as he gasps for air, his body screaming out to him begging for much needed oxygen. Castiel tries for a second time to sit up, and this time he manages to push past the pain and prop himself up against a cubicle door. Blood is still flowing from his nose, and he can already feel a fresh bruise forming on his cheekbone._

_Still struggling for breath Cas searches for his phone, but to no avail. Dean must have taken it with him when he stormed out of the bathroom, leaving Cas helpless and almost certain he was going to die from the lack of oxygen entering his body. He lifts up his shirt to assess the damage, wincing at the sight of the bruises littering his side. Some of them old, now a faded green with tinges of yellow. Some of them newer, a sort of dusty purple colour. But the newest ones were dark, almost black. They wrapped around the majority of his torso, evidently showing the internal damage Cas couldn't see. He tried to lift his arm to see how far the bruises stretched; however, screamed out in agony as a wave of excruciating pain caused him to almost pass out._

_With all the strength he could muster up, Cas weakly pulls himself up into a standing position. His legs shake, struggling to hold his weight, as he stumbles out into the corridor. One hand loosely cradling his potentially broken ribs, the other wiping the blood from his still dripping nose. His head pounds as he staggers towards the closest classroom, in search of somebody who could call him an ambulance._

_Normally, Cas just took the beatings and went home. It was such a normal occurrence that he knew how best to handle the situation. Besides, Dean never hit him where anybody could see. He knew how to strategically land hits on old bruises, causing new ones to form on top. This time... This time it was different. Dean didn't hold back. He wildly threw punches, not caring where they landed, refusing to stop until Cas was on the ground defeated._

_He burst into a science lab, almost falling to the ground after exerting all of his energy on the trip from the boys toilets to this classroom. The last thing he remembers seeing is one of the science teachers (her face vaguely familiar) running towards him. Then the whole world turned black..._

* * *

 

Cas was just a regular teenage boy. He was tall and weak looking under his loose t-shirts that he wore; however, hiding underneath was a landscape of toned muscles. His midnight black hair refused to be styled; therefore, always fell in a stylish mess on his head. He had bone structure some guys would kill for, and a seductive smile that rarely adorned his tanned face. But his most striking feature... His ocean blue eyes. Hundreds of variations and shades of blue swam within his eyes like molten lava, invaded by small specks of greens and greys. And today, he was moving into his new house. 

Cas inspected the building, seeing how it compares to the last 18 houses he's lived in over the last 16 years of his life. His parents tell him that he gets first pick of the rooms, because Rachel got to pick first the last time. Knowing that they wouldn't be here longer than a year anyways, he didn't really care. So he just chose the first bedroom he came across. It's walls painted a calming periwinkle blue colour, with a big window facing the fields that travel for as far as the eye can see. The windowsill being a perfect area for Cas to sit and read his books whilst listening to the birds sing in the morning, he decided that this room was as good as any. 

The furniture had not yet arrived from their last place of residence, so Cas slept that night on the floor covered by a blanket he was given as a present from his only friend many years ago. The lack of central heating in the house meant that Cas couldn't feel his toes when he awoke in the morning, and his nose was glowing a vibrant shade of red. The cold temperatures in this new town would take some getting used to, after living in California for the past 8 months. 

The furniture arrives around lunchtime, so Cas decides to start unpacking his measly belongings, consisting of a few outfits and small presents and books he's accumulated over the years. There was no point in owning too much, as it just made it harder to take with him every time he moved. So he kept his possessions to a minimum. His sister Rachel on the other hand, she was a hoarder. She refuses to throw anything away, so she always ends up with a ridiculous amount of suitcases to transport her ridiculous amount of things to their next temporary location. 

Knowing that he starts at his new school tomorrow, Cas was unable to sleep. That was always the worst thing abut moving. He hated new schools and meeting new people who he'd never make friends with because he knew he wouldn't be around for very long. He spent the majority of the night tossing and turning under his covers, his mind racing with worries about every single little thing that could possibly go wrong. Finally accepting the fact that he wasn't going to be getting any sleep, Cas pulls on a thin jacket and his most treasured brown leather boots (worn and scuffed from years of use.) He slipped out from his bedroom window, onto the small overhang that covers the window below his, then jumps down onto the gravel driveway. Internally cringing at the crunch his boots make against the small stones, he sneaks away from his house and into the night.

Unfamiliar with the area, Cas wonders the dimly lit streets, zipping his jacket all the way up to protect his face from the brusque icy winds that dance through the air. A rapidly thickening fog lurks over the town, limiting Cas' vision of the street in front of him. Unwilling to return to his new humble abode, he continues walking deeper into the centre of the town. Now completely lost, and unable to find his way home, he finds a small patch of grass with a set of swings on. Not seeing the large figure already occupying one of the swings, he heads in that direction. As he gets close enough to see through the haze, he's greeted by a set of stunning emerald green eyes staring straight into his.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry the first chapter is so short, I just wanted to get the whole introduction out of the way. I'll probably post a new chapter tomorrow, so subscribe or bookmark this story if you want to be notified when I post.
> 
> Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a comment and kudos.
> 
> Ang3l_0f_th3_l0rd x


	2. "Night Cas..."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the night before Cas' first day at his new school. Whilst wandering the streets he accidentally encounters the infamous Dean Winchester (the school's most prominent bully as Cas would soon discover,) sat on an old swing set -cigarette in hand- in the dead of night. They get to talking, and Cas makes an interesting discovery.

_Cas slowly opens his eyes, blinded by a bright white light sending sharp pains through his optic nerves. A headache lingers at the base of his skull, slowly spreading down his neck and into his shoulders. Pain radiates from his ribs, and for a second... Just a second... Cas considers the fact that this might be it. The end. He might be dead. Dean Winchester could have killed him. But the sheer amount of agony racing through his entire being indicated otherwise._

_His eyes adjust to the glaring lights, and he slowly begins to lift his body up off of the surface he's currently lying on -his weak and feeble arms almost collapsing under the weight- only to be gently pushed back down by an anonymous pair of cold hands. As his vision finally returns to a feasible level, he's able to make out two figures stood over what he's guessing is his bed. He see's their mouths moving as they try to ask him questions; however, the ringing in his ears is overwhelming and he can't make out what's being said as it echoes through his skull. Cas shakes his head, and covers his ears with his hands until the ringing ceases. Finally he can understand what the anonymous figure is saying._

_"Mr Novak, can you tell me where you are?"_

_Cas slowly shakes his head no, a bolt of pain striking behind his eyes. He squeezes them shut, and rubs them vigorously with his unusually supple hands -littered with hundreds of tiny scars- until the discomfort comes to an abrupt stop. The anonymous figure speaks again._

_"Mr Novak, I'm Dr Shurley. You're in St Michael's hospital. You were brought in by a science teacher from your school. Do you remember what happened yesterday?"_

_A hospital... That explained the bright lights, and the dull pain Cas felt in his right arm where they must have inserted an IV. He closes his eyes once more, desperately trying to remember what had happened. The memory of the previous day comes flooding back, and Cas' eyes shoot open. He opens his mouth to speak; trying to tell the Doctor what had happened. But no words came out, just a raspy noise. Cas' hand shot to his throat, his attempt to speak bringing a new pain to the surface. He felt as though he'd swallowed thousands of tiny shards of glass._

_The Doctor handed him a cup of water, which Cas eagerly lapped up like a dog. Dr Shurley repeats his question whilst pouring Cas another cup of much welcomed liquid. Cas again gulped down the whole cup, before trying again to explain the situation to the Doctor. And again, the words got caught in his throat. Another, more familiar voice (female this time) spoke from the other side of the room._

_"Maybe you should let him rest, and come back later to ask your questions. He doesn't really seem up to it right now."_

_Cas had almost forgotten about the second figure in the room. He turned his head to see his sister Rachel hovering in the corner. A sympathetic look graced her face, as he was sure she had already guessed why he was in the condition his was in. He could detect the anger hidden behind her stormy grey eyes, as she scanned his body taking note of any and all visible injuries._

* * *

 

As he gets close enough to see through the haze, he's greeted by a set of stunning emerald green eyes staring straight into his. The owner of said emerald green eyes looks down, a subtle blush evident on his tanned face. Cas too looks away, realising he was staring at the gorgeous specimen sat before him. He apologises for interrupting, and turns to walk away; however, the green eyed boy gingerly grabs his wrist.

"You don't have to leave. I wouldn't mind the company."

Cas again stands staring into those striking green eyes. Eventually processing what the boy had said, Cas takes a seat on the other swing (his now numb fingers wrapping around the cool metal chains.)

"My name's Dean by the way. Dean Winchester. You must be new, cuz I know everybody round here and I've never seen you before. Trust me, I'd remember."

"Castiel. I just moved here." Cas mumbles, suddenly overwhelmed by a feeling of timidness.

"Castiel..." Dean pondered. "That's a weird name. You mind if I call you Cas?"

Cas again stares at Dean, stunned by his confidence and ability to freely converse with him as a complete stranger. Cas' cheeks now glowing bright scarlet, his grip on the metal chains tightening. 

"Cas is fine," he says, slightly louder this time as he regains his own confidence. Dean simply nods his head offering him something from his right hand, which Cas has to squint at in order to see in the dark. Realising that it was a cigarette, Cas nods his head no.

"I don't smoke," Cas mumbles. Cas had never smoked. It never appealed to him. But in that moment, watching Dean lift the cigarette to his perfect lips, effortlessly taking a drag and blowing out a cloud of smoke, nothing had ever seemed more alluring. 

Dean laughed as he watched Cas watching him. Amused by his obvious infatuation with him, Dean nudged his shoulder with his own. Cas again realises that he had been staring, and immediately averts his gaze to the patch of dirt underneath him. 

"Sorry," Cas exclaims, looking up for a second to find Dean now the one staring at him. 

"It's okay Cas. I know my stunning good looks are hard to ignore, " Dean says with a playful tone evident in his voice. He takes another drag of his cigarette, before dropping it to the ground and crushing the stub under his metal capped leather boot. Cas looks up properly now to see Dean staring straight at him. Dean stands, pulling Cas up with him.

Cas could now admire Dean in his full glory. Standing at 6'2, a perfect mop of ashy blonde hair sits on top of his head. His long legs slightly bowed, and that annoyingly suggestive smirk still lingering on his god-sculpted face. Cas has to stop himself from opening his mouth in awe, his blush morphing into a deeper shade of red. Dean drags him down a small hill to an old bench, covered in years of engravings. Dean takes a seat, and the blue eyed boy follows (begrudgingly leaving a suitable distance between them both.) 

"So what's your story Cas? Why did you move here. It's not really a place people move to?" Dean questioned.

Cas thought about it for a moment, and didn't quite know how to explain his story to him without letting Dean see how truly messed up his life is. He didn't want to scare him off, as he felt unfamiliar feelings starting to blossom in his chest. 

"My parents move a lot for work. Me and my little sister Rachel just get told we're moving and we get a couple of days to pack. Then that's it. We just leave our old house, and move on to the next one. We don't stay anywhere for very long..." Cas replied, a solemn tone to his voice. 

Cas averted his gaze as he saw the usual look of sympathy flash across Dean's face. He hated that look. It's not as if his parents were abusive or anything. His life could be so much worse, so he was grateful for what he had. Almost sure that he wasn't going to like Dean's response, Cas prepares himself to get up and walk away. He doesn't have time to move before Dean responds.

"That sounds rough. I'd hate that. I've lived here all my life, with my little brother Sammy and my Dad. Never even left this little old town. My whole life is here... I couldn't imagine being dragged around the country like you are." Dean declares.

Cas was all but startled by his response. Normally people just said sorry or gave him that look, unsure of what to say in response. He never really had any friends, so he was surprised that Dean so easily opened up and told him about his life here. It made Cas happy, for the first time in a long time. Dean Winchester had managed to make Cas smile. And not just a little smile that Cas hides behind his hair or his oversized tees. A full blown toothy grin, showing off his perfect white teeth. Dean smiled in response, his eyebrows dipping in confusion. 

"I thought you'd hate moving around a lot. Why are you so smiley all of a sudden?" Dean questioned, a perfect smile still lingering on his face.

"No, it's not that... It's just... Your response. What you said, about me moving. Normally people just apologise then the conversation turns to awkward silence. I'm glad you didn't just say sorry." Cas responded.

It was now Dean's turn to flash his perfect smile, as he stared at Cas for a second too long, unsure how he had ended up sat in his favourite spot with a complete stranger -in the middle of the night- talking about their personal lives. Dean looked down at the leather strapped watch on his wrist, and is eyes went wide.

"Shit, I didn't realise it was so late. You know your way back to your house, or do you want me to walk you back?" Dean queried.

The smile suddenly fell from Cas' face. He hadn't even realised what time it was, as he was having such a good time taking to Dean. He hadn't actually smiled like that in so long. Cas tried to hide his look of disappointment, as he rose to his feet.

"It's fine, I'll find my way back. I don't want you to go out of your way. Night Dean," Cas uttered sadly, almost immediately turning and racing off in the general direction of his house.

"Cas, Wait!" Dean shouted. "What school will you be going to?"

"Blue Valley High," Cas shouted back.

"Guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow then. Night Cas," Dean responded, walking away before Cas had time to say anything back.  

Cas finally found his way back to his house, not finding it too difficult as the thick fog had transformed into a light mist. He quietly tip-toed across the gravel towards his window, and lifted himself back up onto the ledge. He gracefully swung himself back into his room, shutting the large window behind him. For a moment, he just stood there, thinking about what had just happened. He closed his eyes, enjoying the breathlessness in his chest, and the fluttering feeling in his stomach. 

He snapped out of his trance, and slipped off his jacket and boots then slid under the covers. Only now realising how cold he actually was, as he willingly absorbed the heat his thick quilt offered. 

That night, Cas fell asleep with a smile on his face. No longer dreading the day ahead, as he had already seemingly made a new friend...

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, this chapter isn't very long. As soon as Cas starts school, the chapters will be longer. Just setting up the story line before I start going into to much detail.
> 
> Thanks for coming back to read the second chapter, and don't forget to leave a comment and kudos. I'll try to post the next chapter tomorrow. Subscribe to the story, or bookmark if if you want updates when new chapters are posted.
> 
> Ang3l_0f_th3_l0rd x


	3. Not who I thought you were...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Its Cas' first day at his new school. Normally he'd be bordering on complete panic at this stage. Getting ready in the morning, for another first day at another new school. But this time was different... Cas was certain that he'd made a new friend in Dean Winchester, and that this time it wouldn't be so bad. Turns out, he thought wrong...

_Dr Shurley nodded in Rachel's general direction. He turned back to Cas, his eyes scanning the monitor stood next to the bed. He scrawled some notes onto the pages in what Cas assumed was a folder full of his medical records._

_"Okay Mr Novak. As long as you're not feeling nauseous of faint, we should be able to let you rest up for the rest of the night. I'll come back in the morning to ask you those questions. It's important that we find out exactly what happened," Dr Shurley declared, a sympathetic tone to his voice._

_It was clear to Cas that his Doctor already knew that it wasn't any sort off accident that brought him here. His body too covered in bruises, cuts and scars for Cas to make up some bullshit story about falling down the stairs at school. His only option was to tell the truth, and risk getting Dean in serious trouble... As much as he should want to punish Dean for what he did to him, he just can't bring himself to hate him. That feeling of breathlessness Cas felt in his chest -the first night he and Dean met- rose to the surface whenever Cas thought of him. Dean must have a reason for acting the way he does, because Cas see's a kindness behind his eyes that he just can't seem to shake._

_Cas is dragged back to reality by a small (rather cold) hand interlocking its slender fingers with his. He looks up to see Rachel. He didn't remember seeing her move from the corner of the room. She gracefully lowers herself into the seat beside his bed, a look of concern adorning her adolescent face. She subconsciously stroked her thumb over his knuckles in circular movements. stopping every now and then to touch to long scar travelling across the surface of his right hand. An awkward silence hung in the air, neither of them wanting to talk about what had happened. Because, what his baby sister didn't know couldn't hurt her._

_They made eye contact, her grey eyes unwavering, and Cas felt as though she was staring straight into his soul. After what seemed like hours, they both went to speak. Both seeing the other open their mouths, they both snap them shut again. A few moments pass, and Cas takes the opportunity to speak first._

_"You don't need to worry about me Rach. I'm fine, it was an accident," Cas unsuccessfully tried to explain. He could see by the position of her elfish features on her delicate face that she didn't believe him._

_"Cas, how can you expect me not to worry? I get a call telling me that my brother is in hospital with substantial injuries. I didn't know what to think! I didn't know what had happened, and i immediately assumed the worst. And then I get here, to see you lying unconscious on a bed, covered in cuts and bruises. You're lucky I managed to persuade them not to call Mom or Dad..."_

_Cas dipped his head in embarrassment, self-consciousness overwhelming him, as he realised that his sister had seen him at his worst. He wished she hadn't, because he knows how he'd feel if he saw her in the condition he was currently in. He tried his best to protect her form the barbaric wold they live in, but he couldn't shield her from it forever. He just wished he'd never slipped up and told her about Dean in his moment of weakness. Then maybe she'd believe him when he said it was all an accident._

_As if she had read his mind, Rachel spoke once more._

_"It was him, wasn't it?" she asked._

_Cas opened his mouth to defend Dean, preparing a speech in his head about how it was his fault. That he provoked Dean into beating him up._

_"Don't even try to defend him Cas... I know it was him," Rachel spat._

_Cas didn't reply straight away, as he couldn't think of an appropriate response. He hated that his sister knew him so well, and he hated the pain he saw on her face when she looked at him._

_"He didn't mean it," Cas whispered. "He's not the monster you think he is..."_

* * *

 

That morning Cas awoke to a chorus of birds blissfully singing outside his window, a small ray of golden sunshine splayed across his face through a small gap in his curtains. Cas stretched his long limbs, bones creaking and cracking after lying unused for a few hours. Slowly, he rose from his bed and strolled over to his window throwing the curtains wide. Not a single cloud could be seen in the sky above him, just a brilliant azure blue for as far as the eyes could see. He couldn't help the small smile that returned to his face from the previous night. It was as if nature itself was foreshadowing the day ahead. 

Cas made his way downstairs, now knowing which floorboards to avoid in order to escape the unbearable squeaking, rubbing the sleep from is eyes as he walked. Stumbling through the doorway into the kitchen, Cas walked the short distance to the fridge. His eyes now well adjusted and his legs less shaky than when he first arose. He pulls the fridge door open, revealing the dwindling stock hiding inside. He grabbed the large carton of orange juice and a yogurt, slamming the door behind him. Turning, he placed both items on the island in the middle of the modernised kitchen, finding a note lying next to the fruit bowl. 

Perfectly flowing across the page, he saw his Mother's cursive calligraphy forming a short note. 

"Your Father and I got called out to work earlier than expected. We left early this morning. I left some money in the cabinet above the sink for groceries, and the card is there too in case you need some extra money. I trust you can take care of Rachel and get her to school on time. Not sure when we'll be back, Mom."

This was not an unusual occurrence for Cas, he often woke up to these emotionless notes in a morning, a few days after they'd moved into their new house. He had developed a sort of thick skin, meaning that it didn't effect him anymore. He was almost 17, so he could take care of himself. Rachel, however, always took it harder than he did. She was younger than him (13, going on 14 this year) so she always found it more difficult when she woke up and their parents were gone. Cas acted more like a parent to Rachel than they did, because they've never really been around; therefore, he struggles to understand why she gets so torn up over it every time. 

He quickly devours his yogurt and gulps down his glass of orange juice (remembering to put the carton back in the fridge,) before making his way back upstairs. He lightly knocks on Rachel's door, knowing that she'd still be asleep. He tip-toed into her room in order to avoid disturbing her. He loved seeing her like this... Peaceful and carefree. Their life had made her far too mature for her age; therefore, he enjoyed seeing her in such an adolescent state. Carefully lowering himself onto her bed, he pushed aside Mr Snuggles -her childhood teddy bear- to make room for himself. Delicately, he pushed the hair back out her face, as she began to stir. 

Slowly her eyes opened, revealing those stormy grey irises and pupils blown wide. She blinks rapidly, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the sudden invasion of muted light. Looking up to see Cas' blue eyes staring back at her. For a second, she looks confused. Cas see's the realisation dance across her face, as he knows she knows what this means. He only ever wakes her up like this when their parents had left without saying goodbye. 

"They're gone aren't they?" Rachel says groggily.

"They left early this morning," Cas replied.

"Mom leave a note?" Rachel questioned.

"The usual," Cas responded. 

She wraps her arms around his torso, nestling into his side like she used to when she was younger. This simple action brought memories of Cas' childhood flooding back. He lets her lie there like that for 5 minutes longer, before telling her she needs to get up and get ready for school. Tickling her sides wakes her from her daze, as he tells her to meet him downstairs in 20 minutes. 

He wanders back down the hall to his room, taking longer than usual to pick out an outfit for school (finding himself wondering what Dean would like.) Quickly shaking those thoughts from his head, he tells himself it was ridiculous to care so much about a stranger he met in the middle of the night. Slipping on his normal dark wash jeans, and an old tee (accompanied by his jacket from the previous night,) along with his trusty leather boots, Cas made his way back downstairs again. He waited in the kitchen, perched on the edge of the marble countertop -toast and juice in hand- knowing Rachel would soon come racing down the old wooden stairs.

He heard her circling in her room up above him, then followed her footsteps out into the hall and down the stairs. Finally, she appeared in the kitchen where Cas thrust a plate of buttered toast and a cup of juice at her, telling her to hurry up because she's going to make him late.

"What's the rush Cas? You've got ages!" Rachel exclaimed.

Cas didn't respond, knowing deep down that he just couldn't wait to see Dean again. 

After Rachel had finished her breakfast, they left the house -Cas double checking that he had locked the door properly- and headed towards Rachel's school. It was only a 10 minute walk from their house, but Rachel was dragging her feet and trailing behind Cas making the journey twice as long. When they finally arrived, Cas kissed Rachel's cheek (her hands swatting him away in embarrassment) telling her he'd meet her back here once he'd finished school. It was then just a short walk through the woods to the high school. Cas walked with a spring in his step, an air of confidence surrounding him. Admiring the scenery surrounding himself as he went on his way. He came upon a clearing where the school sat, surrounded by large oak tree's. 

Cas strode towards what he assumed was the main entrance into the school, glancing to his right just before pushing the doors open. At the last second, he caught a flash of those brilliant green eyes across the courtyard. He stopped dead in his tracks to stare straight at Dean. Is it possible that he looked even more attractive than last night, his full glory now on display as the sun shone down on his head (displaying the array of browns and blondes that laced through his hair.) Cas debated walking over and saying hello, but decided against it as Dean was sat with a group of boys around the same age. They were all smoking, blowing clouds that formed patterns into the air around them. Their laughter carried on the wind to Cas' ears, making him smile. 

He decided he'd talk to Dean later, as he didn't want to interrupt. Taking a deep breath, he pushes open one of the big grey doors, taking his first steps into his new school. He barely has chance to take 5 steps before a girl comes running up to him, books occupying her hands. Her vibrant red hair in stark contrast to her ghostly white skin, she extends her hand out to Cas. He stares down at it, unsure as to why she was so eager to meet him.

"Castiel Novak. You're new here. I'm Anna, I've been asked to give you the grand tour. I can take you to reception to collect your locker number and timetable if you haven't gotten them already," she says, slowly retracting her hand.

"Erm, no. I haven't collected them yet, that'd be great... Cas is fine by the way," Cas mumbled in response, his confidence already lost.

"Well okay Cas, lets go to reception then," Anna shouted back, as she was already walking off towards the right. 

Cas followed her as she weaved through the hundreds of other students attending Blue Valley High, chatting excitedly as they went. Cas received a few glances here and there, but nobody said anything and went back to their conversations.

They finally reached reception, where Anna introduced Cas to the receptionist. He collected all of his paperwork, and Anna eagerly leaned over his shoulder attempting to read the papers in his hand.

"Locker 103. That's on the same row as mine. I can take you there if you'd like. We also have first lesson together!" she continued chattering. 

They made their way towards his locker, receiving a few more glances as they went. When they arrived, Cas placed a few of the books from inside his bag into his locker (after struggling to enter the code onto his dial,) and turned to find Dean and the boys he was sat with earlier sauntering down the corridor shoving people as they went. The previously bustling halls fell silent, as every student's eyes followed Dean as he moved. Cas smiled brightly at Dean, expecting one of his seductive smiles in return. However, he was greeted instead by a glare from him and a couple of his friends.

"What are you smiling at," he spat, taking Cas by surprise. Cas didn't quite know how to respond.

Without warning, Dean forcefully pushed Cas up against his locker (the door slamming closed behind him,) his arm against Cas' throat. Cas reacted immediately, his hands flying up and clawing at Dean's perfectly toned arms. 

"Look boys. It looks like we've got some fresh meat," Dean shouted back to his friends, holding Cas for a few more seconds before releasing his hold on him.

"We'll be seeing you," mocked one of the smaller, weaker looking boys behind Dean. A small chuckle escaped Dean's lips, before he turned and sauntered away, his gang following like lost puppies.

"Omg, Cas are you okay? They always head straight for the new kids," Anna stated.

"I'm fine," Cas choked back, still breathless from Dean's choke hold. He stared in the direction Dean had just walked in, a look of betrayal evident on his face. Maybe Dean wasn't the person Cas thought he was...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 of my Supernatural fanfiction, Notice Me. I just wanted to say thankyou to everybody who's read the story so far, and all those who have left kudos. I'm going to try to post a chapter everyday, so subscribe to the story or bookmark it for updates.
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> Ang3l_0f_th3_l0rd x


	4. "I'm Sorry..."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas carries on his day at school miserable. He started off the morning so excited, until it turned out that his 'new friend' wasn't his friend at all. What happens when Cas runs into Dean again at the end of the day, walking back home through the woods?

_Cas could see that Rachel was seething, and he understood. Why would he defend the boy who had quite literally nearly beaten him to death. But Cas just couldn't bring himself to blame Dean. His mind flashing back to that night; the first night they had met. Dean was the epitome of every teenage boy or girls love interest. He was kind and sweet and oddly open about himself. Therefore, Cas didn't believe in this persona Dean presented whilst at school. That kind boy is not a monster. There has to be a reason behind his actions._

_Before Cas could start making his list of viable reasons for Dean's erratic behaviour, he was interrupted by Rachel._

_"Cas... I don't... I don't understand. Explain it to me... How he could do something this awful to you, and you still refuse to lay any ounce of blame on him. I don't get it!" Rachel said, her volume increasing the angrier she got._

_Cas again didn't respond straight away, thinking carefully about his answer. He glanced over at his baby sister to see tears brimming on her eyes. He knew her well enough to know that she'd never let them spill over though. She was tough, just like he was. She had shed enough tears throughout her life, each time their parents left them all alone. However, for tears to even brim in Rachel's eyes, Cas knew she must be extremely upset. And he hated it... He hated that he was the one who upset her. He hated that he let Dean hit him, without ever fighting back or attempting to defend himself._

_"Rach, please don't be upset. I'm gonna be okay, it could've been so much worse. You worry too much," Cas whispered._

_"No Cas, you're not allowed to tell me not to worry. If you didn't want me to worry, then you'd fight back. You wouldn't have let yourself end up in this situation. How am I supposed to protect you if you aren't willing to defend yourself?" Rachel questioned._

_"Rachel, it's not your job to protect me. If anything, it's my job to protect you! I need you to know that no matter how much Dean hits me, I'll never hit back. I'm not going to stoop to that level," Cas calmly responded._

_This time, Rachel didn't reply. No words left her mouth, and silence fell over the room. For what seemed like hours, Cas and Rachel stared deep into each others eyes, almost as if they were communicating telepathically. All of a sudden, tears started falling down his sister's face, and she quickly made her escape through the nearest door -wiping the tears from her eyes as she ran.-_

_She was crying. Cas had made her cry. That's how he knew she was hurt, that he had hurt her. Truly, deeply hurt. Even if not intentionally, he had hurt her._

_Cas waited quietly in his room, awaiting Rachel's return. But she never came. The only thing left holding Cas to reality being the steady beeping of the machine next to his head. He watched the green lines race across the screen, showing how his heart rate increase rapidly whenever thoughts of Dean entered his mind. Not that he'd ever admit that to himself. He'd blame it on the pain in his side suddenly getting much worse._

_Slowly his eyes started drifting closed, Cas no longer able or willing to hold his heavy lids open. But every time he slipped into peaceful slumber, images of Dean wildly throwing fists and feet at him flashed through his mind, resulting in him jolting up in his bed (causing severe pains to shoot up and down his sides each time.) Therefore, it's safe to say that Cas didn't really sleep that night. He anxiously awaited sunrise, debating what would be an appropriate hour to alert the doctors and nurses to his consciousness._

_Rachel was gone, and he just wanted to go home..._

* * *

Cas went about the rest of his day with a slight grimace on his face. He couldn't believe what had happened between himself and Dean that morning. What had changed in the few hours since they had met? To Cas, it seemed as though the green eyed boy was excited to see him at school. But maybe Cas had read it wrong... Maybe Dean had just been excited to have some 'fresh meat' to abuse. Cas just didn't understand.

He found it exceptionally hard to focus in any of his lessons, his mind never ceasing to wander to Dean (no matter how hard he tried to stop it.) Should Cas confront him about it? Should he wait for him after school? Should he go back to the place they'd met the night before, in the hope that he'd return to his 'favourite spot'? Cas had questions that needed answering; however, he decided that he didn't feel like being almost suffocated for a second time today. So, he decided he'd leave it for a a couple of days to allow Dean time to calm down. Maybe it was just a playful assertion of dominance, to let the school know that Dean was the Alpha male.

It was Cas' last lesson. Maths. He was one of those teens who actually enjoyed school, and always tried his best in lessons. Not to impress his parents or anything -they probably don't care anyways- just because he enjoyed learning. However, he hated maths. He just couldn't wrap his head around all the numbers and the necessity to learn some of the ridiculous things that were taught in maths lessons. It just didn't seem as important as other lessons to him. Take English for example. English was important. He used English every day of his life to communicate, and he also loved to write. Of course, there were lessons like art and music which Cas didn't really enjoy either; not being the most creative person in the world. 

Maths lessons always dragged on; however, this lesson seemed as if it was never going to end. Cas spent the entire duration staring at the oversized clock on the wall in front of him, watching the seconds tick by and willing time to go faster. He occasionally turned his attention to the teacher and made notes on whatever she was rambling on about; however, his eyes would always wander back to the clock. 

After what seemed like an eternity, the bell rang. Cas had never seen anybody move as fast as the students running to escape the classroom. He watched them scurry like ants out of the door, as he took his time packing his belongings back into his rucksack. Once he had finished packing, he rose from his uncomfortable plastic chair and headed in the direction of the door (finally making his own escape.) He was almost there, but then...

"Mr Novak, can I have a word with you please?"

Cas turned around to see his maths teacher -Mrs Edwards- stood behind her impeccably organised desk, a huge smile on her face. He walked over in her direction, stopping a few meters away.

"I noticed you seemed a bit distant this lesson. I was just wandering if it was because you didn't understand what I was teaching, or need some extra help with the work?" Mrs Edwards asked, an eager tone to her voice.

"Sorry Mrs Edwards. I didn't mean to look so disinterested. I just couldn't seem to focus on the work today, but I do understand it all. I've done this module a couple of times at my other schools, but thanks for the offer. And , you can call me Cas by the way," Cas replied, forcing a smile onto his own face.

"Well Cas, I understand. First days are tough, and you seemed to have had a few of them. I'll try to move onto some new work next lesson, something you haven't learnt before. I'll see you in our next lesson," his teacher exclaimed.

Cas simply smiled. "See you next lesson," he said, already walking towards the door.

Finally, he was free! He headed straight to his locker to collect his other books from his first few periods. He was going to be late to pick Rachel up from school, so he quickly shoved everything into his bag, and slammed his locker door closed. He all but ran in the direction of the exit, throwing the door open and stepping out into the brusque air. The icy winds blowing through the courtyard turned his cheeks a flushed pink, as he nestled his chin into his chest in an attempt to keep warm. He swiftly headed towards the woods, taking the steps in his path two at a time, deciding to take the same route home as he took that morning. 

He heard bells ringing in the distance, guessing that they were coming from his little sisters school. He quickened his pace, the autumn leaves crunching under his feet as he went. He was making good time, and quickly closing the distance between himself and Rachel's school, when he suddenly stumbled on a root sticking up from the ground below him. He fell rather ungracefully into the dirt, landing on his stomach and winding himself in the process. Before he had chance to sit himself up, he heard a voice coming from above him.

"Are you okay Cas?" the voice asked. 

Cas looked up to see green eyes staring back at him. He'd recognise those green eyes anywhere... Dean.

"I'm fine , thanks. Just winded myself," Cas smiled back.

He struggled to push himself up from the ground; Dean grabbing his arm to help him up. Cas couldn't help flinching at the contact, unsure whether Dean was trying to help him or hurt him. It seemed as though it was the former. 

"Why are you walking this way. I didn't think you lived down here... At least, it's not the direction you walked in last night," Cas mumbled.

Dean chuckled, starting to walk away. "My brother Sammy goes to school down this way. I'm picking him up. You coming?"

Cas ran to catch up with Dean, still slightly out of breath from his fall.

"My sister goes to school down here too. Maybe she's in Sam's year?" Cas asked.

"How old is she," Dean politely queried.

"She 13, but she turns 14 in a couple of months," Cas responded. He had managed to catch up to Dean, their strides now in sync.

"Yeah, they're in the same year then. They're probably already friends, Sammy's such a social butterfly," Dean said, quietly laughing to himself.

For the short distance remaining to the school, he and Dean walked in comfortable silence. Cas occasionally stole glances at Dean, unable to stop thinking about the rippling muscles he was sure were hidden beneath his leather jacket. They finally arrived, and Dean headed towards a fence to the right of the school. Cas quickly followed, admiring the view as Dean bent down to rest his arms on the rusted metal.

Cas reminded himself that he wasn't going to mention what had happened that morning for a couple of days. So he too rested his arms on the fence, sending a dazzling smile in Dean's direction (to which he responded with one of his seductive smirks.) Cas felt as though time had stopped. He wasn't thinking, and before he could stop himself words came tumbling from his mouth.

"What happened this morning? Did I do something to upset you?" Cas said, embarrassment evident on his deep red cheeks. 

Dean didn't say anything, and Cas was too scared to look up at him. He could hear steady breathing coming from the boy beside him, and suddenly felt a hand delicately land on his shoulder. He averted his gaze up and straight into Dean's eyes. 

"I'm sorry Cas. I just..."

Dean didn't get chance to finish his sentence, as he was interrupted by a boy -who Cas assumed was his brother Sam- shouting his name and running in their direction. Rachel was running behind him, struggling to keep up.

"Hey kiddo," Dean said, affectionately rubbing the younger boys head. "This is Cas. I see you've already met his sister," Dean uttered with a wink.

"Yeah, Dean this is Rachel. Rachel, this is my big brother Dean. Oh, and nice to meet you Cas," Sam rambled, barely taking a second to breathe.

Now that all the introductions were out of the way, there was a sort of awkward silence that hung over them. Dean was looking down at his feet, and Cas was watching Sam and Rachel exchange confused glances between each other.

It was Cas that finally spoke up. "Hey Dean, maybe I could get your number and we can finish that conversation later," Cas asked with a genuine smile adorning his face.

"Sure," Dean replied, putting his number into the phone Cas had thrust into his hand. "I'll speak to you later," he said, as he and Sam walked back towards the wood.

"Bye Sam. Bye Dean," Rachel shouted. They both turned to wave and smile, before disappearing into the tree's.

Cas and Rachel headed back towards their own home, the younger skipping ahead singing to herself. Cas' mind wandered to his interrupted conversation with Dean, desperate to know what he was about to say. He could ask him later though, now that he had his number. His thoughts were cut off by his younger sister interrogating him.

"What conversation do you need to finish with Dean? Is it important? Are you guys friends too?" she reeled.

"It's nothing that you need to worry your little mind about, nosey," he said with a wink. "And yes... we are friends," Cas added, unsure himself. He'd have to wait until later to find out if that statement were really true... 

  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't uploaded in a few of days, I've been super busy catching up on college work. I hope you enjoyed this new chapter, and I'll be trying my hardest to upload as often as possible.
> 
> Don't forget to leave a comment and kudos, and subscribe to or bookmark this story for updates on when I post.
> 
> Ang3l_0f_th3_l0rd x


	5. Talk to me...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas and Dean finish that conversation that Sam ever so conveniently interrupted earlier that day...

_Almost as soon as Cas had pressed the button next to his bed, a nurse came bursting through the door full of excitement. It was half 7 in the morning... Why did she have so much energy? He found himself jealous, that somebody could be so happy; that they could go through life without caring what anybody else thought. As she all but skipped over to Cas' bed, a small laugh escaped his mouth. Her smile was contagious, and soon he too had a toothy grin adorning his broken and bruised face._

_"Good morning Mr Novak. Up bright and early today I see. I'm just going to check your vitals, okay?" she said, writing down her observations as she monitored the screen for a few minutes._

_Cas watched her eagerly, desperately hoping that she'd tell him he was able to go home today. He couldn't wait to escape the confines of this hospital room. He felt like he was trapped in a prison, and he was tiring of staring at the same white wall all day._

_"Well Mr Novak, your vitals seem good. They're nice and steady, so I'm going to go and find Dr Shurley. Hopefully you should be able to be discharged today," she explained._

_Cas couldn't help the elated expression that brought his features to life. He had never been so happy to be told that he could be going home. He needed to sort things out with Rachel, and he needed to find Dean. He needed to let him see how much he had hurt him. He could never actually bring himself to report Dean for what he had done, but he wasn't above making him feel the guilt he deserved to feel._

_The nurse left the room, Cas shouting a small "thanks," to her as she bounded off down the corridor. Cas had everything crossed, in the hope that it'd bring him some sort of luck. This room was making him claustrophobic. And anyways, he hardly felt the pain in his side anymore. He was able to walk better now, and he could bend down without wincing too much. Nothing he hadn't had to handle from Dean's past beatings._

_His train of thought was interrupted by Dr Shurley's entrance._

_"His Cas. You're looking a lot better this morning... I've got some bad news I'm afraid," he said, a sympathetic look washing over his face._

_"I'm not going home today am I?" Cas questioned._

_"No, I'm afraid not. After taking a closer look at some of your scans I've found some hairline fractures on your ribs, and there also appears to be some bruising to a couple of your organs. I'd like to keep you in to ensure that we don't make anything worse... I also need you to tell me how you ended up like this," Dr Shurley waffled on._

_Cas was shocked. He knew Dean had roughed him up quite badly, but he didn't realise how serious it actually was. Dean had caused real internal damage; however, he still couldn't bring himself to disclose any information about that afternoon. He needed to talk to Dean, to find out why he did it. Cas knows that he'll have a valid reason, so he doesn't want to cause any more problems._

_"I was really hoping to go home today. I guess one more day won't hurt," Cas responded. "Oh, and I got into a fight with a couple of the boys at my school. They shouted something at me, and I shouted something back. Things just got out of hand. I tried to defend myself, but they were both a lot bigger than me. I'm fine now though, so I'd rather not tell you their names. They don't deserve to get into any trouble," Cas told his Doctor._

_He was lying through his teeth, and he knew that if Rachel were they she'd have seen right through his bullshit story. He couldn't hide the look behind his eyes though. Cas knew  that Dr Shurley knew that he was lying, but he had no proof to say otherwise. So he had to accept Cas' made up story - that he wrote down word for word in Cas' files- before standing up to leave._

_"Well okay then Cas. Now that we've got the story straight, I'm going to keep you in for observation for another day, then you should be fine to go home. I'm glad you're feeling better. Sorry for the disappointing news," the doctor stated._

_"Thanks Dr Shurley. I appreciate all your help," Cas replied._

_He knew that they were keeping him here for good reason; however, he couldn't stop himself from resenting them slightly. He just wanted to go home. He felt fine. So there he lay in his bed for the next hour and a half moping; watching the crappy TV that was in his room. His only other source of entertainment being the sound of soft and delicate music reverberating down the corridor occasionally. He was just about to attempt to lie down and return to peaceful slumber, when the same nurse from earlier that morning knocked on the door._

_She entered the room without waiting for a response, a figure looming behind her. Cas stared over her shoulder suspiciously, unable to identify the tall silhouette._

_"Mr Novak, you have a visitor. He said he knows you from school, I hope you don't mind," she declared._

_"No it's fine. He can come in," Cas replied, an unsure tone to his voice. Only Rachel knew that he was in here, so who could possibly be coming to visit him._

_The nurse stepped to the side, letting the anonymous figure enter the room._

_Cas almost choked on the air when he realised who it was._

_Dean..._

* * *

Cas and Rachel arrived back home shortly after they'd left her school. After Rachel had stopped interrogating her big brother on the whole situation with Dean, he was left staring at Dean's contact on his phone screen. The longer he stared at it, the more unusual it looked. The numbers and letters all started to merge into one. Suddenly, he heard Rachel shouting his name.

"Will you please stop gawking at your phone, and open the damn door already," she yelled down the driveway.

Cas hadn't even realised they were back. He had been in a sort of trance the whole time. Pressing the off button on the side of his phone, Cas slipped it back in his pocket and grabbed his keys from inside his jacket. He turned the key in the lock, and pushed the door open, only to be shoved out of the way by Rachel. She slipped her shoes off -kicking them by the front door- then raced off upstairs. For what reason, Cas was unsure.

He laughed to himself at his sister's sudden insanity, and made his way into the kitchen. As his parents were away for work, it was up to Cas to cook tea for himself and his sister. Albeit he wasn't the best cook in the world, but he could still make an amazing chilli. So he decided that's what he would make for them tonight. 

Before he started cooking, he decided to go and change into something more comfortable. Therefore, he made his way upstairs and into his room; the door creaking shut behind him. He placed his phone on his nightstand, and started digging through his drawers to find something to wear. He was searching for his favourite tee. He knew he'd put it in one of the drawers somewhere, but he couldn't find it. Making a mental note to start properly folding his belongings from now on, he settled for an old band tee his Dad had passed down to him. 

He was just about to go back downstairs when he heard his phone vibrate. Cas ran over far too quickly in his opinion, excitedly staring down at the screen in the hopes that it was a message from Dean. The he remembered... Dean didn't have his number yet, because he hadn't text him. The actual message was from his Mom, telling him that she'd transferred some more money into his account for the next few months. That indicated to him that she wasn't coming home anytime soon.

Once Cas had made it back into the kitchen, he pulled himself up onto the kitchen counter (still staring at his phone.) What should he text Dean? He needed to act normal, not socially inept like he normally would. He needed to pretend like he didn't care about what had happened that morning. After overthinking it for a whole 10 minutes, he settled on just texting him a simple **'Hi Dean, it's Cas. Are you free to talk right now?'** He anxiously awaited a response; however, after 15 minutes had passed, he decided to put his phone away and start making his infamous chilli.

Dancing around the kitchen, he collected all of his ingredients and lay them out neatly on the work surface closest to the stove. He didn't need to follow a recipe, because he'd made it so many times. So he sliced and chopped his ingredients, throwing them all in the pot on the stove to cook. He had just turned the heat down to let it simmer, when his phone vibrated in his pocket. 

He had completely forgotten he was waiting for a response, but soon grabbed at his phone when the notification came through. He read it aloud to himself. **'Hi Cas. Yeah, I am. I feel like I need to apologise again for what happened this morning. So, I'm sorry.'** He read it a couple more times, before typing out his response. Changing it a few times, he finally decided to send his reply. **'It's totally fine, there's no real harm done. I just wondered if I'd done something wrong? Because everything seemed fine last night.'**

Cas again awaited a response which didn't come immediately. The slight smell of burning chilli floating through the kitchen brought him back to reality, as he realised that he'd forgotten about the chilli he'd left simmering on the stove. He left his phone on the island, and went back over to try to salvage the food. Luckily, only the chilli around the sides of the pot had burnt, so he turned the heat off. It was only half 4, and he and Rachel didn't usually eat until later, so he transferred the hot food into two bowls, and left them in the microwave for later. 

He again lifted himself up onto the work surface and sat staring at his phone awaiting a response. However, he didn't have to wait long, as a new message came through. **'No Cas, it's nothing you did. It'll be easier for me to explain in person. Would you be able to meet me again tonight?'** Cas couldn't help the small smile that flashed across is face, because he couldn't wait to see Dean again. It'd been less than 2 hours since he last saw him, but he was still excited. He needs to calm down. He shouldn't be so smitten with a boy he'd met less than 48 hours ago. He didn't want to come across as too eager.

 **'Yeah, of course. What time do you want to meet?'** Cas sent back almost immediately. As soon as he'd sent the message, he cursed under his breath. He was replying too quickly. Now Dean would know for sure that he was sat by his phone waiting for his responses. Only 30 seconds later, Dean responded -making Cas feel like less of an idiot.- **'How does half 9 sound? We can meet at my spot again. Most people have cleared out by that time.'**

Cas couldn't be happier. Now all he had to do was contain his excitement and wait until half 9.

 **'See you there'** he sent back. 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that I'm not uploading very frequently. I am trying my hardest to publish a chapter every one or two days, but I'm still catching up on work. As soon as I'm caught up, I'll be posting more often. So thanks for waiting. I am going to try to post two or three chapters today, because it's been so long. 
> 
> As always, don't forget to leave a comment and kudos if you enjoyed this chapter. Subscribe to or bookmark this story if you want updates on when I upload.
> 
> Thanks so much for the great feedback,
> 
> Ang3l_0f_th3_l0rd x


	6. Meet me at my favourite spot...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas finally meets up with Dean, to find out what had happened whilst they were at school. Why did he act like is friend the night before, then suddenly turn into a monster around his peers? Cas was about to find out...

_For a second, Cas thought his mind was playing tricks on him. Because there was absolutely no way that the boy who had almost beat him death cared enough to come and visit him in hospital._

_Immediately sitting upright in his bed, Cas rubbed his eyes and blinked rapidly -almost certain that it was just some wishful illusion his own delirious mind had made up out of boredom, that'd disappear when his brain fully woke up.-_

_Realising that it wasn't some fictitious fantasy, he couldn't help the gentle smile that graced his beaten (but healing) face. They both just stared at each other in silence for what seemed like hours, before the nurse -who was still present- spoke up and interrupted the peacefulness._

_"Well Mr Novak, if you sure he's alright to visit I'll just be down the corridor if you need anything. Keep it PG you two," she said cheerily, a smirk evident on her face._

_Cas again almost choked on the air, as it dawned upon him that the nurse thought they were a couple or something. He couldn't help the glowing blush that crept onto his cheeks; however, he looked up to see Dean looking at his feet (a blush evident on his face too.)_

_Cas looked up again to see Dean studying his face, a grimace present on his own. If Cas was correct, it looked as though Dean actually felt guilty for what he had done. After all, if he didn't care, then he wouldn't have bothered coming to visit him. As much as Cas wanted to scream and shout at him for what Dean had put him through, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He always knew that deep down Dean wasn't a monster, and the flashes of guilt and sympathy dancing across the green eyed boys face proved Cas' theory._

_As if a switch had flipped in Dean's head, he suddenly took a step forward towards Cas' bed, his hand slightly outstretched. This startled Cas... Instinctively, he lifted his arms to cover his stomach in an attempt to protect himself from any further attack. Immediately, Cas regretted his actions as he saw Dean step back again and turn his eyes back to he ground in front of him._

_"I'm sorry," Cas said, little more than a whisper. "I didn't mean to do that. I know you won't hurt me again..."_

_A long pause followed, and Dean refused to lift his eyes from the ground. Cas was now the one who felt guilty. As much as Dean deserved to be punished and made to feel guilty, Cas wasn't malicious by nature, and he didn't like making other people feel bad._

_"Dean... You can come sit by me. Honestly, it's starting to get weird, you just hovering there," Cas spoke, a playful tone to his voice._

_This finally made Dean look up, and he tentatively took the five steps between where he was standing and the chair next to Cas' bed. He cautiously sat down, keeping his eyes on Cas at all times (as if he were making sure he wasn't hurting him in any way by being close to him.)_

_"Cas... I," Dean began; however, Cas interrupted him._

_"Dean, I don't want you to sit there and apologise to me. I know you're sorry. I know you're not the sort of person who goes around beating people up. It's fine, I forgive you," Cas exclaimed, not stopping to take a breath._

_"Cas, I just need to say it. I need to tell you how sorry I really am. I'll never forgive myself for hurting you like that, and then just leaving you on the ground broken and bleeding. I've never, ever done anything like that, and I... I'm just... I just need you to know that I'm truly sorry. I don't expect you to forgive me though, so don't feel like you have to to avoid hurting my feelings," Dean declared, not breaking eye contact with Cas the whole time._

_Cas couldn't help himself. His eyes began to water, as he processed the heartfelt statement Dean had just professed._

_"I'm not going to lie and tell you that what you did to me was Ok Dean, because it wasn't. You really hurt me. I'm not going to pretend to know why you did what you did, because I don't. But I know there must be a valid reason for why you did it. I'm not one to hold grudges, so as long as you promise not to do anything like that ever again, we're fine," Cas said, with an air of newfound confidence in his voice._

_Dean said nothing. He just sat there, still staring straight into Cas' bloodshot eyes. Cas began to feel uncomfortable; therefore averted his eyes to anywhere but Dean's. He was surprised to suddenly feel a pair of muscular arms wrap around his frail body. Startled by the action Cas lifted his head, allowing Dean to nestle his further into Cas' neck._

_It took Cas a few seconds to process what was happening... His brain couldn't make sense of it. How could Dean go from landing punches on his ribs to snuggling up into him in a hospital bed (that he had put him in by the way?)_

_As soon as Cas realised what was happening, he lifted his bruise ridden arms and wrapped them loosely around Dean's broad shoulders. He wasn't sure, but he was almost certain that he felt a wet patch developing on his hospital gown where Dean's face lay. However, he quickly dismissed the idea as there was no way **The Dean Winchester**  was crying in his arms. _

_They lay like this for a few minutes -affectionately cradling each other-  but to Cas it felt like a lifetime. It was like Dean was Cas' own personal stress reliever, his heart rate decreasing and his body relaxing as they lay there... Together... With nobody around to interrupt them._

_Much to Cas' distaste, Dean did eventually unravel his arms from around the smaller teens body and sat upright -pivoting on the edge of the small hospital bed.- For a second, Cas thought that Dean had realised what he had done and regretted coming to see him. However, a beaming smile now adorned Dean's stubbled face, and he appeared visibly happier than when he had first arrived._

_Again they simply enjoyed the comfort of each others presence, examining every detail of the other's face._

_Cas went to speak, to break the silence surrounding them; however, quickly closed his mouth (trapping the words) when he saw Dean's expression suddenly change to one that he couldn't read._

_Without warning, Dean began leaning down towards Cas (their mouths now only inches from each other;) however, he hesitated. Dean was so close that Cas could feel his warm breath dancing across his lips. Silently, he willed Dean to lean in those extra few inches and close the gap. He'd been waiting for this since he had first met Dean; however, unsure of where they stood with each other, he buried his feelings._

_Cas was mentally preparing himself to close the gap and press his lips to Dean's, when he heard the door swing open -the metal handle banging against the marked wall behind it.- Dean all but launched himself back into the chair next to Cas' bed, and it was like it had never happened._

* * *

 

Cas continued cooking his chilli, a glowing smile adorning his face. He added a pinch of salt and a tsp of black pepper here and there (to ensure his food tasted as perfect as it normally did,) before calling Rachel downstairs to experience the wonder that was his chilli. 

They both sat down at the kitchen table -designed to seat 4; however, only ever accommodating 2- and Cas couldn't contain the ever growing smile on his face. He was almost certain he looked psychotic, sat the smiling like a maniac down at his bowl. It wasn't long before he noticed Rachel's questioning glances being thrown his way. He tried his hardest to suppress his feeling of pure happiness; however, he just couldn't.

After 5 minutes of sitting in silence -Cas still smiling down at his food- Rachel finally spoke up.

"Alright you bumbling idiot, spill," she all but shouted.

Cas looked up at her from the corner of his eye to see her staring intensely at the side of his face. Finally he looked up, managing to slightly minimise his grin. His cheeks were beginning to hurt...

"I don't know what your talking about Rach," Cas replied, struggling to keep his voice steady.

"Do you think I'm stupid Cas. There's only one thing that manages to make you smile like that, and that thing happens to be a person. What has Dean said to you?" Rachel questioned.

"Sometimes I really wish you didn't know me as well as you do. It's annoying..." Cas said, hesitating. "I'm being stupid. He only asked me to meet up with him later, and I'm acting like somebody just offered me a million dollars."

"No Cas, you're not being stupid at all. You deserve to be happy. Especially after the life we've had. Not much time to be happy," Rachel grinned.

Cas sat there thinking about what his sister had just said to him. She was right! They'd both had difficult lives, constantly moving from here to there. Neither of them ever really got the chance to develop relationships with anybody, because as soon as they did they'd be moving on to the next destination. So he decided to stop beating himself up about being so happy, and just let himself feel the happiness that had been all but absent in his life.

"Thanks Rach... I'm going to meet him at half 9. You gonna be ok here by yourself for a bit?" Cas asked her.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I'll be sure to whip out the baseball bat if anybody breaks in," she replied jokingly.

"Very funny. Don't expect me to come running when I get the call from the police," Cas retorted.

They both finished there chilli, faces of contentment all round. Rachel offered to clean the dishes, because Cas cooked, however Cas volunteered as he wanted some time alone to calm himself down. 

He paced back and forth in his kitchen, averting his eyes from his phone screen to the clock on the wall every thirty seconds, willing time to go faster. It was only half 7, which meant that Cas still had another 2 hours to waste before his meeting with Dean.

How does one person hold such power over him. A mere text from Dean had Cas' heart racing, and they haven't even known each other a week. It's ridiculous. Cas knows it's ridiculous. He's getting too attached, and he needs to stop before he inevitably ends up getting hurt. 

Entranced by the clock hands minuscule movements around the clock face, Cas almost didn't notice the loud banging echoing through the hallway from the front door. 

He snapped out of his daydream, and headed in the direction of the increasingly loud banging. Neither Cas nor Rachel really knew anybody in town yet, so Cas had no idea who it could be. He turned the key in the lock, and the old wooden door swung open with a creak to reveal a friendly looking middle aged lady standing on the front porch.

Cas' eyebrows dipped in confusion, as he was sure he didn't know her...

"May I help you," Cas politely asked, knowing that he should show respect to his elders.

"Well hello there handsome. I'm Ellen. I live next door to you, and I just realised that I haven't even introduced myself yet. Have you settled in alright? I haven't seen your parents around," she said inquisitively.

Cas was stunned by her confidence, but couldn't help the small smile that graced his face at her gentle nature.

"Well, My name's Castiel -but everybody calls me Cas. It's just me and my sister Rachel at the moment. My parents travel a lot for work, so they're never really around." Cas responded.

"Well Cas, if you or Rachel ever need anything, I'm just next door. If I don't answer, my daughter Jo will. She's around your age actually. Maybe you go to school together?" Ellen spoke calmly. 

"Well I go to Blue Valley High," Cas replied.

"Well how about that," she exclaimed. "That's where my Jo goes. I'll tell her to keep an eye out for you around school. I have the feeling you'd be great friends. Anyways, I'm gonna get back. You enjoy the rest of your night Cas," Ellen pronounced in her distinct accent.

"Thanks Ellen. I'm sure we'll get on great. See you soon," Cas said, as Ellen began heading back down the steps towards her own house.

Cas shut the door behind him, instinctively turning the key in the lock. Without warning, Rachel came bounding down the stairs -phone in hand- almost tripping on the lump in the carpet at the bottom.

"Who was at the door? I heard voices," Rachel questioned.

"Just the neighbour," Cas declared. "She seems really nice."

"Good. I hated our last neighbours," Rachel muttered, before running off into the living room (to watch her programmes on the big TV no doubt.)

Cas looked down at his phone to see that it was now 9 o' clock. The time passed much quicker when he wasn't intently staring at the clock. He decided to go upstairs and get changed. He felt the need to dress up -to impress Dean- however, he knew that it would be dark so Dean wouldn't even be able to really see what he was wearing. 

It seemed to get a lot colder at night around here, so Cas decided to keep his jeans on and just change into a thin jumper (that his Mom had gotten him for his birthday last year,) and his Dad's old tan trench coat that he'd passed down to him. 

He decided to walk around for a while before meeting Dean, hoping that the brusque air would clear his clouded mind. He slipped on his much loved converse, and made his way outside (making sure to tell Rachel to lock the door behind him as he went.) 

He wandered the streets around his house, not roaming too far as he still wasn't very familiar with the area. He scraped his battered shoes along the gravelly sidewalk, kicking the occasional rock and watching it skim across the road's surface. He hadn't been walking 2 minutes when he bumped into a muscular chest, knocking him to the ground. Luckily, he put his hands out to brace himself; therefore, the damage wasn't too severe. He was checking the small cuts on his hands, when a familiar voice caused his eyes to snap up at the figure looming over him. 

"I'm so sorry, are you okay. I wasn't loo-" the voice said, pausing mid sentence.

Cas made eye contact with the figure, as he spoke again.

"Oh, Cas..." Dean said, reaching down to help him up. "I didn't realise it was you. I was coming to meet you at your house to make sure you didn't get lost on the way to my spot." 

A blush began brewing on Cas' cheeks, as he realised what had just happened. Of course he physically ran into Dean and completely embarrassed himself.

"Oh... Thanks, I guess," Cas said, awkwardly laughing under his breath. "Well, we can walk there together now if you want."

"Yeah, that's fine," Dean replied. "Are your hands ok? It looked like they were bleeding."

"Oh, it's nothing. Just a couple of small cuts. I'll survive," Cas stated. 

In actual fact, his palms were stinging quite a bit. He lingered behind Dean as they walked together, attempting to discretely remove the gravel from his bleeding cuts.

The silence between them was somehow comfortable, and Cas didn't mind it at all. However, it didn't last long as Dean soon piped up.

"What's going on with the whole trench coat thing. I mean, not that I don't like it. But you kinda look like your on the way to a business meeting or something," Dean observed. 

Cas didn't know how to respond. He didn't think Dean would pay any attention to what he was wearing; however, he was quickly regretting wearing the stupid thing.

"Erm, it was my Dad's. I don't really own many coats, and I remembered it being cold the last time I was out at night, so I threw it on," Cas mumbled.

Dean simply nodded his head, as they continued to walk in comfortable silence. No sound could be heard for miles. They were literally the only two people around. 

After walking for a while. they arrived at Dean's spot and sat down on the old wooden bench. Cas sat down first, tucking his coat under his legs, followed by Dean. The blue eyed boy couldn't help but notice how close Dean had decided to sit to Cas. Their thighs were practically touching, causing Cas' heart rate to increase slightly, and his palms to begin to sweat. 

They sat there for a few minutes, just observing the darkness around them (Cas desperately trying to control his breathing.) 

"So, about the whole school thing... Look Cas... I... I don't really have an excuse for why I did it. It's just, me and my friends have a sort of reputation around the school. So when they all decided to attack you, I choked. I wanted to tell them to leave you alone, but I couldn't. I put my reputation before our friendship, and I wish I hadn't. I'm sorry," Dean blurted.

Cas took his time processing each word that left Dean's mouth, before forming his response.

"We're friends?" Cas asked, unsure of himself.

"Well yeah, I thought we were. But if you don't wanna be friends, it's fine," Dean replied, a defeated tone to his voice.

"No, No!" Cas quickly shouted back."That's not what I meant. I just didn't know where we stood, that's all. I mean, we've only had like 2 conversations. But I'd love it if we could be friends."

"Great, then we're officially friends. Lord knows I could use one about now," Dean sighed.

Cas hesitated, before asking "what do you mean? I thought those guys at school were your friends."

"It's nothing. I mean, yeah I call them my friends, but they're more like acquaintances. I can't really talk to them about anything. We just hang around together and smoke. You seem different, that's all." Dean said.

"Well you can always talk to me Dean," Cas replied, sensing the uneasy tone in Dean's voice. 

"Thanks," Dean muttered, one of his mesmerising smirks apparent on his god-like face.

They sat together for the next half an hour, just getting to know each other. Talking about anything and everything, both of them rambling on (unwilling to give the other an excuse to leave.) They both seemed happy in each other's company, neither of them remembering the last time they had smiled as much as they were right now.

But the tranquil atmosphere was interrupted by the buzzing of Dean's phone in his coat pocket. He pulled it out to see Sammy's name lit up on the screen, a momentary look of worry flashing across his eyes.

Dean looked at Cas apologetically, before answering the phone.

Cas couldn't hear what was being said, but he heard a frantic voice shouting down the phone, and Dean mumbling calming phrases through the speaker. The sound of glass shattering in the background made Dean's whole body tense up. He said something to Sammy, then hung up (turning back to Cas.)

"Cas, I'm so sorry. I have to go. It's been great getting to know you. Maybe we can meet up again tomorrow night?" Dean pretty much shouted, as he was already stumbling away down the small hill.

"Don't worry about it. I hope everything's ok," Cas replied, worriedly. 

Cas watched as Dean disappeared into the thickening twilight that surrounded him. What had gotten Dean so worked up. He figured he's ask him at school tomorrow...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry that I went MIA for so long. I was catching up on all of my college work, but now I've finished it all I've got more time to sit down and write.
> 
> Hopefully I should be posting a lot more frequently from now on. Thanks to everybody that stuck around and waited for new updates, and Hi to all the new readers. 
> 
> Don't forget to leave a comment and Kudos, and subscribe to this fanfic if you want updates on when I post new chapters.
> 
> Ang3l_of_th3_l0rd x


	7. Number 1396...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unable to stop thinking about what had caused Dean to stumble off in such a hurry, Cas lay in his bed that night tossing and turning. He couldn't stop himself from thinking the worst, and the anxiety pressing on his chest refused to leave. In the early hours of the morning, Cas is faced with a much welcomed surprise.

_It took Cas a moment to process what had just happened. Within milliseconds, Dean went from hovering over him to firmly seated in the chair beside his bed. Overcome by a whirlwind of emotions, Cas' vision was clouded. He was unable to stop thinking about what could have happened, if somebody wouldn't have so rudely interrupted; therefore, it took him a few seconds to realise that it was Rachel who had slammed the door open._

_She stood in the doorway, her eyes flitting between Cas lay in his hospital bed and Dean sat to the right of him. Without warning, Rachel launched herself at Dean and slapped him square across the face. He didn't even have time to respond, as she started screaming strings of angry comments at him. It was like a wildfire had erupted within her, and Cas had never within his life seen her quite so immensely furious. Her cheeks burned a deep crimson red, her breathing becoming heavier the more she continued to scream. All of a sudden, Rachel decided to stop abusing Dean with her words, and decided to use her fists instead._

_She lashed out, and started punching him wherever she could reach. Cas expected Dean to fight back... To grab her wrists or push her away. But he did nothing. He just stood there accepting all of the verbal and physical abuse Rachel threw his way -like he thought he deserved it.- Cas just sat there stunned, unable to move his limbs in an attempt to stop his sister's attack. It took Dean doubling over in pain (as Rachel hit him in the stomach,) for Cas to finally step in._

_He propelled himself out of his bed, throwing his own body in the way of Rachel's fists and Dean. Not having time to stop the momentum behind her already swinging hand, Rachel hit her brother in the ribs -causing him to collapse to the ground- a sudden wave of excruciating pain encompassing him. The deep purple bruises littered across his ribs had started to fade to a lighter shade; however, Cas knew they'd return in the area his sister made contact with. Rachel immediately dropped to the floor and apologised to him, over and over again. A look of pure guilt swam across her face, and Cas hated it. He tried to brush it of like nothing had happened, but he just couldn't muster up the strength to pull himself off of the floor._

  _As soon as Dean realised what had happened, he was by Cas' side attempting to help him back to his bed. Before he could even lay a hand on Cas, Rachel shouted at him._

  _"Don't you dare lay a hand on him, you monster. You've done enough damage."_

  _Cas sent her a scorning look, changing to one of sympathy as his eyes met Dean's._

  _"Rachel, I told you to stay out of it. Dean won't hurt me," Cas explained to his sister._

_Dean took this as permission for him to help Cas off of the floor, so he once again laced his arm delicately around Cas' waist and pulled him up and into his bed. Cas would never admit it, but he was really struggling to breathe. It felt as though his lungs were filling up with water, and his throat started to burn from lack of oxygen. However, he tried his best to act as though he wasn't in any pain to protect Rachel. She felt guilty enough, she didn't need to know the real damage she'd caused._

_Cas now back in his bed, Rachel and Dean awkwardly stood next to each other staring down at him. He hated the pitying look on both of their faces; however, before he had time to say something, Dean piped up._

  _"Rachel look. I feel like I need to explain this whole thing to you. You have every right to be mad at me... I wouldn't blame you. Just know that no matter how angry you are with me, I'm more angry at myself. In a moment of weakness I lashed out at somebody I really care about, and I've never regretted anything more in my life. Inflicting pain upon your brother hurts me more than you know. I don't have an excuse for why I did it. All I can do now is be sorry that I did..." Dean rambled on, never breaking eye contact with Cas the whole time he spoke._

_Even though Dean was addressing Rachel as he spoke, Cas couldn't help but feel that Dean was talking directly to him. He didn't know how to react. He'd never heard anybody say that they cared about him, and he just wanted to take a moment to hold onto the feeling of being wanted that Dean had non-intentionally provided..._

* * *

Not wanting to return to his house just yet, Cas continued to sit on the old bench by himself -the slight dampness of the wood making his legs go numb in the cold- worrying about Dean. _  
_

 He couldn't help himself. His mind immediately imagined the worst possible scenarios, causing anxiety to build up inside his chest. What if Dean or Sammy were in serious trouble. Cas couldn't exactly hear what was being said over the phone, but it sounded serious. Maybe Cas should try to find Dean's house, just to make sure that he wasn't in any danger. Thoughts raced through his mind at a million miles per hour, before he forced himself to stop and think logically. 

 If Dean really was in serious danger, then he'd have told him... Right?

 If Cas kept panicking the way he currently was, he was going to give himself an aneurysm. So he tried his best to push the thoughts to the back of his mind, and slowly rose from the chipped wooden slats of the bench. It took a few seconds for the feeling to return to his lower limbs, as he felt the blood suddenly rush back to the area. Slowly he wandered back down the now more familiar streets back to his almost empty house (where he's sure he'll continue to worry about Dean.)

 Trying to prolong his walk home for as long as possible, Cas ensured that he kicked every rock and pebble in his path and stopped at each and every crossing (even though there were definitely no cars driving around at this time of night.) Finally he arrived at the street at which his house was situated. For some reason, Cas really didn't want to go home. Maybe it was because he knew that it would offer him no comfort in his anxious state. However, he knew that Rachel was home alone; therefore, begrudgingly trudged up the gravel driveway and lingered on the front porch. Taking one last deep inhalation of the crisp night's air, he turned his key in the lock and pushed the door open wide.

 He was greeted by the lingering familiar smell of the chilli he and Rachel devoured for their tea, and he couldn't help the small smile that graced his face. It lasted all but a second however, as Cas' expression quickly returned to one of worry as he turned and locked the door behind him. 

 To avoid disturbing Rachel -who he assumed was currently sleeping upstairs, blissfully unaware of Cas' worries- he removed his shoes, padding lightly across the small distance between the door and the staircase. Carefully he tip-toed up the stairs, being careful to avoid the area's he knew creaked when you stepped on them. He successfully made it to the time, quiet as a mouse. He decided to go and check that Rachel was alright before heading off to bed himself. So he poked his head through her door to see her lay splayed out on her double bed, hair sticking out every which way and her mouth slightly open. Another small smile danced across his face; however, it was fleeting. 

Cas quickly brushed his teeth and got changed into his old tatty pyjamas, before climbing under his covers and wrapping himself in a sort of protective cocoon. The warmth his covers offered him were much welcomed, Cas' fingertips still feeling frozen from his slow walk home. Knowing full well that he wasn't going to be getting any sleep whatsoever tonight, he simply lay there staring up at the ceiling.  

Thoughts raced back and forth in his mind, refusing to give up. Was Dean okay? Was Sammy okay? What happened? Why did Dean tense up when he heard that glass smash? Is there something Dean's hiding? Should I try and help them? Questions that played on his brain over and over again. The pressure in his chest built up, and he suddenly felt as though all the air had been sucked out of the room and he couldn't breathe. He thrashed around trying to push his covers away from him, a layer of sweat now covering his body. 

He lay in his bed -breathless- again looking up at the ceiling, examining the patterns in an attempt to take his mind off of Dean. He glanced across at his clock to see that it read 4:15. It was quarter past 4 in the morning. He is quite literally going to be falling asleep in all of his lessons tomorrow. All of this because of some boy Cas had a crush on.

In the silence of his big empty house, the notification sound from his phone echoed around the room. Who could possibly be messaging him at this ungodly hour in the morning? His used his thumb to unlock his phone, the brightness of the screen burning his retina's, to see that it was a text from Dean.

**'Cas I need your help, are you up?'**

Now Cas was extremely worried. Cas quickly typed out his response, hoping that Dean would respond quickly.  **'Of course Dean, what's wrong?'** Cas typed back, anxiously awaiting a response. Dean's reply came almost instantly.  **'What's your house number. I need somewhere to crash for the night. I didn't know who else to ask.'**

Cas took a few seconds to contemplate why Dean would be wandering the streets at this hour, before formulating his response.  **'Number 1396. The big house at the end of the street. Is everything okay?'** Cas replied. Cas didn't get a text back, and he started to panic. He was just about to go and search for Dean himself, when he heard a quiet knock on his front door. Cas knew it must have been Dean, so he raced down the stairs heading straight for the door.

Cas turned his key in the lock, and swung the door open to reveal Dean stood on his porch. But he wasn't alone. Sammy was stood next to him, bundled up in a large blanket, tear tracks evident on his adolescent cheeks...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry that it's been so long since I last updated this fanfic. I was so busy with college and work, and then had really bad writer's block. Suddenly found some inspiration, and decided to start updating it. Hopefully this chapter was worth the wait. More coming very soon.
> 
> Don't forget to leave a comment and Kudos, and subscribe to this fanfic if you want updates on when I post new chapters.
> 
>    
> Ang3l_of_th3_l0rd x

**Author's Note:**

> This is my new Supernatural fanfiction. I'm not sure yet how many chapters long it's going to be, I'm kind of just making it up as I go along :) I have a rough idea of where I want it to go, so I hope you all enjoy.
> 
> Don't forget to leave a comment and Kudos, and subscribe to this fanfic if you want updates on when I post new chapters.
> 
> Thanks so much for the lovely comments you left on my last post
> 
> Ang3l_of_th3_l0rd x


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